Citizens of Heaven
I once had a conversation with a seeker of a truly independent cast of mind. Not being able to pin down exactly which tradition he was following, I cut straight to the bone and asked him – “So who is it exactly that you worship?” “Heaven” was his reply. Unwilling to...
Guilty Pleasures
If you’ve been reading the articles on this web site, you know that one of our persistent themes is that Heaven has a job for you to do. And we’ve suggested ways in which you can try to find out what Heaven’s plan might be. This of course raises the question of...
Who are These Crazy Fuckers?
Whenever one thinks of a serious spiritual quest, certain images are likely to come to mind, regardless of whether your chosen Tradition is Eastern or Western – churches / temples smoky with incense and interminable chanting, half-naked seekers exposing themselves to...
The World Doesn’t Need a New Religion
I’m sometimes asked “Is this Shimenawa stuff a new religion?” The answer is simple and emphatic – “Absolutely not. The world doesn’t need a new religion.” But that’s only half the story really. Because while the world doesn’t need a new religion, we desperately need a...
Hide and Seek
“What do I do if I practice and practice and practice, and nothing ever happens?” “What do I do if I pray and pray and pray, and God never answers my prayers?” This question, in all its variations, is one of the most critical questions you will face in the course of...
Crossing Paths
I first became aware of the phenomenon I call “crossing paths” several years ago when I was interviewing some Buddhist friends of mine for a class I was teaching on World Religions. inquiring into their reasons for becoming Buddhists, two or three of them mentioned...